People are scared of the American pit bull terrier, due to its history as a fighting dog, and because of certain myths about the breed.
For example, many people believe that when one bites, the American pit bull’s powerful jaws will lock, so it won’t let go. Tests have shown their jaws don’t lock.
As American pit bulls were originally bred to fight other animals, some retain this hostility, especially towards other dogs.
However, tests suggest that American pit bulls display lower levels of aggression towards humans than many other breeds. Around one in ten failed human-directed aggression tests compared with a 20% fail rate for Chihuahuas and Dachshunds, and around 40% for bearded collies.
